Let It Be Said Of Us
by Indie Sol
Summary: A collection of one shots. Half are song-fics, the other half are romance. Enrique, Jane Austen, Lady A. Oh my!
1. American Honey

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is totally AU. I know J.J.'s not from Georgia but she seems like she could be to her. The first time I heard 'American Honey' I actually thought of her. This is my first story but I'm already working on others so if you like it you might soon have more and if you don't, well not like I really care much then. I'm planning this to be the first of many short stories with hopefully a full length-one to come soon.

**DISCLAIMER: Criminal Minds & all characters belong to CBS. 'American Honey' belongs to the band Lady Antebellum.**

_There's a wild, wild whisper  
Blowin' in the wind  
Callin' out my name like a long lost friend  
Oh I miss those days as the years go by  
Oh nothing's sweeter than summertime  
And American honey_

J.J. tapped a pencil against her desk restlessly. She was ready to leave. More than ready. Work was always tiring, but today, she just wanted to get out. Her co-workers and teammates walked by her, laughing. They had finished their paperwork and were cleared to go. The small, mix-matched group stopped in mid stride where she sat. Spencer Reid broke away and approached her, waving the others on as he leaned in for a word with the blue eyed, blonde haired woman.

"Aren't you ready for a night out J.J.? You look tired." Reid pushed his hair out of his face uselessly as it flopped back down. His eyes showed concern for his friend, and an eagerness to be out of the bullpen.

"Ah, actually Spence, I think I'm just gonna finish up here and run. I need some down time ya know? But thanks for the offer."

Reid frowned. She was always up for a night out with the team.

"Is something wrong?"

"No." She nodded and smiled at her adorkable friend. "Spence, I'm fine. I just don't feel like going out tonight. You go. Y'all have fun and don't worry about me."

Spencer Reid raised an eyebrow slightly at her usage of the word "y'all". Of her slip in her accent.

"Your roots are showing." Reid smiled.

"Oops!" She laughed and covered her mouth jokingly. "Excuse meah sirrah." She said, exaggerating her accent. Reid laughed and shook his head, walking out with a wave. J.J. threw herself back into the paper before her. Filing and writing mechanicaly, her mind winding away to a sunnier time and place. Her senior supervisor, Aaron Hotchner, approached her silently.

"J.J."

Her head shot up and she smothered a shriek.

"Hotch! You, you scared me."

"My apologies J.J. I'm sorry for interrupting your singing."

"I was singing?" She blushed. "I didn't even realize I was. I'm sorry if I disturbed you." She smiled bashfully and looked up at Hotch through her hair.

"No. It sounded nice. But I didn't realize you liked country."

"Oh yeah um, Reid says I'm showing my roots tonight."

"Yes you are. Not that it's a bad thing. Your roots are charming. But I didn't come here to comment on that. I came to tell you to leave. Let the work alone for tonight and go home. I know you're tired. And if I can leave early, you certaintly can Miss Jaraeu." Hotch took J.J. by her elbow, and, gathering up her stuff, led her to the door. Ignoring her half-hearted protests, Hotch ushered her out to her truck. J.J. watched Hotch's tall, dark form walk away into the darkness. Finally she was alone.

_She grew up on a side of the road  
Where the church bells ring and strong love grows  
She grew up good  
She grew up slow  
Like American honey_

Driving down the darklit highway, J.J. let her mind wander with the music streaming from the radio. A country song she knew came on and she felt herself singing words she'd thought long-forgotten. Bringing back rushing memories of her past.

Her home was a white house. A porch, a swing, some trees, a fence. Nothing out of the ordinary for her town in Georgia. Grass grew as high as she was at eight. Tree tops seemed a part of the sky back then. And a creek was all that she needed to have a good day. Every Sunday her family went to church. They sat in the same pew week after week. She watched her parents all the time. J.J. compared all her boyfriends to how she saw her dad treated her mom. That was one reason why she didn't date much.

_Steady as a preacher  
Free as a weed  
Couldn't wait to get goin'  
But wasn't quite ready to leave  
So innocent, pure and sweet  
American honey_

She would rather hang out with her friends, driving around, swimming, going to dances in groups. Or even by herself. She lived the quiet life. The good life. But she knew she eventually wanted more. So she kissed her parents and small-town Georgia goodbye and headed off to college.

_There's a wild, wild whisper  
Blowin' in the wind  
Callin' out my name like a long lost friend  
Oh I miss those days as the years go by  
Oh nothing's sweeter than summertime  
And American honey_

College was trying. Exhausting. Running from one class to another. FInding and then keeping a job. Being far away from her home, her parents, her friends. But as always, J.J. had more friends than she could count and boys calling her every night.

Media Liaisons strive to have no determined accent and to be a blank canvas for what they have to tell. Her accent sweet accent was trained out of her. She learned to fit in effortlessly. The country music was put in a back closet. The daisy dukes were thrown away. She stopped curling her hair. She often left without makeup. J.J. learned to hide her Southern roots. She worked. She studied. And she decided to join the FBI.

_Get caught in the race  
Of this crazy life  
Tryin' to be everything can make you lose your mind  
I just wanna go back in time  
To American honey, yea_

"Aaron Hotchner, this will be your media liaison. Jennifer Jareau, meet your supervisor, Aaron Hotchner."

Her first day on the job, so many years ago. Joining the Behavioral Analysis Unit's newest made team. Meeting Hotch, Elle, Morgan, Gideon, Penelope, Reid and then Rossi and Emily. People that she would come to trust with her life and friendship. Her closest friends.

But the companionship she shared with her co-workers did little to help her stress over the new job. Or to fight the darkness she took home with her every night. The wondering if she had made the right decisions on what case to take every night as she lay in bed. Often times, her last thought before she drifted away was of the backwoods creek, the dirt roads, the church bells calling her home.

_Gone for so long now  
I gotta get back to her somehow  
To American honey_

J.J. pulled into the driveway of her condo. It was dark, quiet, cool even though summer was moving in. She walked up the steps, locked the door, double checked it. Threw her briefcase down in the hallway. Sat on her bed all alone in the place. Grabbed an old CD with a thin layer of dust on it. Placed it in the radio and let the music continue.

_I'm so tired of this._

She picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, Hotch? It's J.J. I need to ask you about something."

_Ooh There's a wild, wild whisper  
Blowin' in the wind  
Callin' out my name like a long lost friend  
Oh I miss those days as the years go by  
Oh nothin's sweeter than summertime  
And American honey  
And American honey_

Two days later a white pickup truck pulled into the driveway. She opened the door and swung out. The screen door opened and a familiar old, beloved woman stepped out, squinting against the hot summer sun.

"Hey mom. I'm home."


	2. Hero

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Once again, a song-fic. This really is Criminal Minds I promise. I wrote this one for Hotch after viewing a YouTube video with this song (Hero by Enrique Iglesias), that was of course about Hotch. I didn't use names to leave it up to imaginations. If you really wanna know who the pairing is, ask. So I wrote this thinking Hotch and a will-remain-unamed-girl/woman here but heck, it could be Morgan & Garcia or Reid & JJ if you want. Hope y'all enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: Criminal Minds & all characters belong to CBS. "Hero" belongs to the singer Enrique Iglesias (who I wish belonged to me).**

_Would you dance if I asked you to dance?_

She stood there before him in the moonlight sneaking in through the windows. Her arms at her side, eyes daring him to look at anything other than her, not that he had any inclination to do so. She was beautiful, blue silk dress skimming her form, dark hair cascading down her back, and a playful smile tugging her lips.

"Dance with me?"

She held out a hand to him, fingers itching for his touch. His face reflected love and amusement. He reached out and took the offered hand, wrapped his other arm around her tiny waist and pulled her close as a slow song started and they began to dance.

_Would you run and never look back?_

"I'm going to take care of this. I will protect you. But you have to promise me you'll do exactly what I tell you to. "

She nodded automatically. Clinging just a bit, standing behind him, staring down his arm at the gun held tight in his hands. Suddenly, the unsub appeared in front of them from the darkness of the hallway, also holding a gun in his hand which he had pointed at them, but his other hand was holding a knife which was pointed at the neck of the tear-stained female hostage.

"Oh. Isn't that beautiful. The FBI agent has his little woman with him."

"We can talk about this. You don't have to do this. Just put your gun down. Let her go."

"I think not."

The unsub raised his gun. The man never turned to her, but she knew he was talking to her when he said,

"Run. And don't look back."

She turned and ran as fast as she could, ignoring the gunshots and screams behind her. She ran and never looked back.

_Would you cry if you saw me crying?_

She sat on the bed, rocking back and forth silently. Trying to hold back the tears but feeling them prick at her eyes and the back of her throat. Finally she couldn't fight it anymore. The tears fell down her face and the sobs ripped free from her mouth. She sat like that, arms crossed over her stomach, hair falling over her face, lost to everything but her pain, until the door opened. She straightened quickly. Shoved the tears roughly away from her face. But he had already seem them and was rushing to her side. He sat on the mattress next to her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his lap.

"What's wrong? Sweetheart? Talk to me."

She tried, but she couldn't stop the sobs from stealing her breath or the tears from running down her face. He wiped at them gently with his hands, but that only made her cry harder. As he watched her small body wrack with sorrow, he felt tears start to slip down his own face.

_Would you save my soul tonight?_

He pulled his key out. Unlocked the door to his house and let himself in, trying to be quiet so as not to wake his precious ones sleeping inside in the dark. Tossed the keys on table next to the door. The evil of everything he had seen today crashed in on him as he sat down in a chair. The evil of all he had done that day forced his head into his hands. The cries of the families that he had let down, who's own precious ones died because he wasn't good enough. And then, the look on the face of the people he had killed today. Their looks of shock and pain as the bullet from his gun blew through them and killed them. Silenced them forever. Destroyed their future and those of any children they would ever have. He let all of that settle on him. All the guilt, all the fault, was his and no one else's. He made all the calls.

The darkness was all there was around him until he felt her sit down on the arm of the chair. She was wrapping her whole self around him, drawing him into her. She didn't say anything for a while, just ran her hands through his hair and kissed the back of his neck softly.

Eventually, she took in a deep breath and he knew she was going to speak.

"It wasn't your fault. You made the right calls. You're a good person. I love you. You're a hero and always will be."

_Would you tremble if I touched your lips?_

She felt life running through her veins, starting from the point of where his hand was holding her's. Cold rain started falling, she shrieked and laughed loudly. His eyes lit up as he tugged her under a tree's protective limbs. She continued laughing at the rain and now at how he looked, rain dripping off of his hair and sharp face. She reached up and flicked a drop from the tip of his nose. He smiled and let his fingers stroke her cheek, then her lips. She trembled. He leaned down and placed his lips on her's.

_Would you laugh, oh please, tell me?_

She slinked into the room, purposefully holding a portable stereo. He looked up from his desk, startled by the blaring loud noise and her exaggerated dancing. She stared straight at him, a serious expression fixed on her face. She stood against the wall, rubbing up and down it and began singing with the song,

"I'm bringing sexy back..."

She glared at his still serious expression and proceeded to his desk. She began bumping and grinding outrageously against his desk. Still his face remained the same. Finally she plopped herself down on his lap and attempted a rough lap dance. The song ended and she turned to face him. He simply stared at her, his hands still holding paperwork.

"Argh! Smile dammit! I'm tired of you working! I wanna have fun! I'm trying to make you laugh!" she screamed, his countenance still stone. With a cry of anger she made to jump up from his lap but suddenly felt his arms tight around her waist. And then she realized he was shaking with silent laughter.

"Of all the nerve...! Why you!" She smacked at him, he easily caught her wrist, laughing hardily at her now. She tried to stay mad but soon she too was laughing, her mission complete.

_Now would you die for the one you love?_

He threw himself in front of her with no thought other than a desire to keep her away from harm, a desire to protect her and keep her alive no matter what the cost. He heard her cry out as he pushed her back against the wall behind them. He heard her screaming insults fierce enough to scare Hannibal, but it was already too late. He felt the bullet shatter and explode his chest, he felt like he was drowning and started to panic as he fell to the floor but his logical mind told him it was blood, not water, filling his lungs and that panicking would do nothing helpful. In fact there was really nothing he could do now at all. For once, he was not in charge of the situation.

He realized she was at his side again and was now kneeling over him, her body shielding his. He tried to push her away but she ignored him completely, her focus fixed on the figure in front of them. He felt her move with inhuman speed and knew she had just pulled his gun from his ankle holster. Shots were fired and she fell back against him. But she was still alive.

She turned to look at him, and realized, that she was the only one still alive.

_Hold me in your arms tonight?_

She lay on her side, her back turned to him, staring blindly at the wall, lost in her own thoughts as his breaths provided a white noise soundtrack to her reflections. She had just reached the part in her reverie where everything seemed cold, dark, lonely, even a little pointless, when she felt him moving behind her, she froze, wishing not to wake him, but then he slipped his arm over her and in his sleep, pulled her tight against his strong chest. And then she remembered. The world could be cold, dark, and lonely, but this was its point.


	3. If I Can't Have You

AUTHOR'S NOTE: My first non-song short fic. Awesome. Although I did get the title from the highly appropriate song 'If I Can't Have You' by Kelly Clarkson. This one is a HotchxEmily shipper story, I guess. I'm not a shipper of them, but they worked for my purposes of writing about a girl not even getting a chance with the guy. The character, Melinda, that Hotch is dating is an OC (Own Character for y'all newbies) that I have a long story to go with, not that it's published or anything. I really enjoyed writing this one, maybe I'll write more in this vein, dunno. I realize it's not quite canon but whatevs. Hotch might seem OOC (Out Of Character, again, newbies) to some, but if you go back and watch episodes where he's talking about going home to Haley (when they were happy, specifically the season 1 finale, The Fisher Kin pt 1) he's really animated and excited and I'd like to think he's that way again in this relationship. All that said, hope y'all enjoy and I would love it if y'all guess what Jane Austen movie(s) they pick. Who do you think Emily's favorite is? I feel like it would be Darcy. What about JJ?

**DISCLAIMER: Criminal Minds and all characters belong to CBS. Jane Austen and her movies belong to Jane Austen and their respective studios. 'If I Can't Have You' belongs to Kelly Clarkson.**

Emily Prentiss leaned forward, dark hair falling over her face, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. She stared across the BAU bullpin at the glass walled office of her boss, Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner, watched. A loud sigh escaped from her lips, causing a coworker to spin on their heels and approach her.

"What's up Em?" Jennifer Jaraeu asked as she leaned over Emily's shoulder.

"Ah! Oh God JJ! You scared me!" Emily shrieked as she jumped up, knocking the back of her head into JJ's shoulder.

"Ouch!" They both cried out, jerking away from eachother. Emily rubbed the back of her head but JJ just crossed her arms and stared at Emily. Emily turned and caught her friend's look.

"What? What are you staring at?" Emily laughed nervously.

"You. What was that longing sigh for?"

"Umm...well."

JJ sighed, grabbed a rolling chair from a nearby desk and pulled it over next to Emily.

"It's about Hotch."

Emily cringed but nodded. JJ opened her mouth to speak, but shut it quickly as she saw Hotch leaving his office, a small smile on his face.

"Emily. JJ." Hotch nodded at them.

"Hey Hotch. You're leaving early?" JJ asked in surprise.

"Yeah I've got a date tonight with Mel." Hotch told them, his smile widening and pink spots appearing at the tops of his cheeks.

"Oh." JJ said, nodding, feeling Emily stiffen next to her. "Well, have a good time."

"Thanks. We will. I'm making her dinner, then we're going to just walk or something. I never knew I missed having someone to be with until I met her."

JJ and Emily just smiled and nodded. Hotch stood there a minute longer, then cleared his throat awkwardly and turned to go.

"Bye JJ, Emily. I'll see you both back here on Monday."

"Bye Hotch." JJ and Emily said after him. JJ turned to Emily, who was still staring after Hotch. JJ watched her friend fight to keep her face nuteral.

"C'mon." JJ grabbed her purse and then Emily's, ignoring Emily's startled expression. "If Hotch can leave before six then we can leave before six. And you need a girl's night out."

"But, but-"

"But nothing. Rossi, Morgan and Reid are men, and Garcia is already gone so it's just you and me, some secrets and some alchohol to make you spill those secrets. Oh and if you need it, we can finish the night up with junk food and Jane Austen movies. Sense & Sensibility? Emma? P&P? What's your poison?" JJ joked, leading Emily out of the FBI building. Emily smiled wanly at JJ as she got in her car and began following JJ to their usual place.

"How did you know I was thinking about Hotch?" Emily asked JJ, hours later over drinks.

"You were looking at him and sighing and your eyes were lovesick. Besides," JJ was suddenly fascinated with the cup in her hand. "Everyone knows you've got feelings for Hotch."

"What!" Emily gasped.

"Em, you're surrounded by world-class profilers and your best friends. You didn't really think none of us noticed the lingering glances, the way you lit up when he praised you, how worried you are for him?"

"Well I was hopig..."

"Sorry sweetie. Do you wanna talk about it?"

Emily started to shake her head, then reconsidered.

"Yeah. I'd like to talk about it."

JJ sat back and waited as Emily mulled over where to begin.

"I'd always been attracted to him, but he was married, and then even once the divorce was finalized he was still in love with Haley and way too torn up to be in a relationship, and then she died, and he was in grieving, and then a few months ago I started thinking, 'Yeah, now is my chance, now it's my turn', and then he met Melinda and bam. She's gorgeous, likes him, he's handsome, likes her. Instant chemistry. And now he's dating her. And really, really happy with her. And I feel like I was dumped even though we never even went out."

JJ reached across the table and consolingly patted her friend's hand.

"I just, I just wanted a chance. Just to see if we could be something. But I never even got a turn."

Emily sighed again, looking downcast and dejected. JJ grabbed her bag.

"C'mon. It's time for some Jane Austen and junk food."


	4. You & I Walk A Fragile Line

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The fic, is so unlike any others I've done. And really, I mostly did it as a Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas present for my friend and (much better-sub her! Her stories win awards!) fellow author Spark Shark! I've never done JJxReid so I hope their portrayal isn't too OOC. Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: Criminal Minds and all characters belong to CBS. The songs 'Haunted' and 'You Belong With Me' belong to Taylor Swift. **

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Spencer! Happy Birthday to you!"

Spencer Reid blushed and laughed with nervous embarrassment as his team and the entire wait staff of his favorite restaurant sang to him. He smiled at them all but jumped a little when he felt his best friend's hand squeeze his. He looked up shyly at her from under his hooded eyes. Everyone else was eating and laughing loudly about his horrified face when they had started singing, but Spencer kept his eyes on Jennifer Jaraeu-JJ-for a moment longer, just long enough for him to catch her eyes. She flashed him a smile and squeezed his hand once again before pulling away. For the rest of the night, whenever JJ brushed against him, which was often since she was sitting next to him and there were seven people seated at the small, four person table, Spencer felt a jolt of electricity. His logical mind told him it couldn't possibly be real electricity, maybe static electricity but even that seemed illogical. Still, for that time, everytime they made contact, Spencer's mind filled with the image of little lightening bursts flowing from her body to his.

After the meal, Penelope demanded that everyone give Spencer the presents they had for him. Rossi gave him an antique book of poems in their original Romanian, Hotch had given him a new handgun, Emily presented him with a new chess set and a promise to play, Penelope gave him a box of chocolates, and a ticket to watch Disney movies at her house, Morgan gifted him a set of old X-Men comics that he'd been wanting and a book titled "How To Pick Up Girls for Dummies" which caused everyone to laugh except for JJ who just fixed her eyes on him so intently that Spencer couldn't even look at her. At one point she leaned over quickly and whisper in his ear, "I have something for you. I'll just give it to you...later."

Spencer looked at her frantically, startled by the suggestive tone in her voice, but she just tucked her hair behind her ear and dove into another conversation. Spencer watched her thoughtfully, she was so beautiful, so full of life. And also his coworker and best friend. So why was she looking at him like that?

JJ watched as everyone said their goodbyes. She slipped her hand into Spencer's arm and pulled him to her side.

"I'll take you home." She told him, wondering at this strange boldness, the urgency compelling her to act so out of character. He nodded, and she thought he looked a bit panicked but honestly, tonight she didn't really care. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind her to her car. Once there, she turned up her radio much louder than she normally would. Spencer shot her a look. She laughed.

"Relax Spence. You only turn 28 once!" With that she pulled out of the parking lot and raced down the road toward his neighborhood. JJ reveled in the freedom she felt speeding down the highway, laughing at her best friend's barely-concealed horror at her totally uncharacteristic antics.

"What is this music?" Spencer asked.

"Taylor Swift!"

"Who?"

JJ gaped at Spencer.

"You don't know who Taylor Swift is?"

Spencer shook his head in response.

"For a smart guy, you can be so stupid."

Spencer smiled at her shyly.

"What can I say? I don't have much exposure to 'pop culture'."

"Well now you will." JJ turned up the radio even louder and started singing along. "_Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you? Been here all along so why can't you see-ee-ee? You belong with me-ee-ee!_"

JJ pulled the car into Spencer's driveway and stopped with a jerk. Spencer looked at her, a wary smile forming.

"So. Thanks for the ride home."

"No problem Spence."

Spencer opened his door and stepped out into the brisk Virginia air. He turned to see JJ had gotten out and was moving toward him.

"Hey." She placed her hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her. "I'm about to do something crazy."

She bit her lip, nervously, then snaked her arm around his neck, pulling him down to her. He stiffened as their foreheads met, but when her lips touched his, he did not pull away. JJ pressed her mouth against his firmly, begging Spencer to reciprocate. Then, Spencer leaned into the kiss and somehow his hands ended up tangled in her hair. Finally, JJ broke away, gasping for air. She smiled up at him, pulled away, and returned to her vehicle. Spencer stood where she left him, staring after her as she drove off into the night. As the lights of her car disappeared he went up into his house. Just as he was locking the door his cell went off.

"JJ?"

"Hey Spence." JJ laughed nervously. "I just realized I forgot to give you your present!"

"Wait, that wasn't...?"

"Oh God." JJ laughed again. Spencer felt a smile creeping onto his face. It was strangely satisfying to hear the unflappable Jennifer Jaraeu on edge because of him. "No that, that wasn't your present. That was just...uh...hey I'll just give it to you in the morning."

"Ok."

"Well. I'll see you at work."

"Wait, JJ? What is my present?"

"That Turkish coffee maker you've been wanting."

"Cool! Well, goodnight, JJ."

"Goodnight Spence."

Just as JJ was about to hang up she heard Spencer speak up again.

"JJ!"

"Yeah?"

"You'."

"What?"

"Bye!"

"Spence!"

But all JJ heard was the dial tone.


End file.
